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Is Receiving A Bicycle For Holiday Presents Common Practice In Europe?

In my own home as a child and a teenager growing up in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, I used to go to my local Dutch Bike Dealership (owned and operated by a immigrant Dutch family) and picked out a nice bike for the holidays. I treasured those bikes and even today I still credit them for grounding me into both choosing the right bike and using them for far more than a plaything or status symbol. I was wondering if my counterparts in Europe-especially The Netherlands, UK, Germany, Austria,Scandinavia, and France also buys their own bikes during this season for themselves or their children.

And for the children, who is credited for giving gifts; Father Christmas, Old Man Christmas, Yule Man Sinterklaas, Jultomte, Knecht Ruprecht, Christkind, Weihnachtsmann, Mikulás, Gwiazdor, Grandfather Frost & Snow Maiden, Djed Mraz, etc.? I hope I did not miss anyone’s favorite figure from the holidays. Over here we have had crass commercialism through ho-ho-hos, pushy advertisement blitz, and tiny reindeer for so long that all the old traditional practices were lost when our European ancestors came here and adopted Commercial Claus over their own traditions.

"It's been a good year for IKEA, so what better way to celebrate our success than to thank our IKEA co-workers who made this happen. Our big reveal today will be a fun day as we unload 12,400 new bikes at IKEA US locations. This is our way of saying 'thanks IKEA co-workers for being strongly committed to working together.' We hope this bike will be taken in the spirit of the season while supporting a healthy lifestyle and everyday sustainable transport," commented Mike Ward, IKEA US President.

i wouldn't trust a bike from ikea, judging by the quality of their plywood furniture.

They use plywood? It thought it was particle board. Plywood actually makes pretty decent furniture if it is used correctly, think Swedish Modern, the swoopy looking stuff, most of that was made from laminate veneers (plywood). But then again there is good plywood and not good plywood.

Aaron

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i wouldn't trust a bike from ikea, judging by the quality of their plywood furniture.

Some of my IKEA bookcases are over 15 years old and still in one piece. It's really not bad for the price. And I like the simple looks. Although, these bikes are really crappy, they could have done better.

I only ever once received a bike for a birthday present the other 'birthday' bike was part gift and part my own savings. I know more people who got bikes at birthdays.
Netherlands, that is.
When I was a child most kid's bikes would be hand me downs, and not suitable for nicely packaged presents.
As bikes are cheaper now and people have more money on average, there will be more kids who get a bike for a present. Birthdays, Sinterklaas (5th of December) or in some cases Christmas.

Children here believe in Sinterklaas, see here or here for some pictures and an explanation. When the kids stop believing, at age 8 or so, some families start giving the gifts at Christmas, but I do not know any Dutch families with kids who believe in Santa. Expat families sometimes do, so we have to be 'polite' about santa in public.

I only ever once received a bike for a birthday present the other 'birthday' bike was part gift and part my own savings. I know more people who got bikes at birthdays.
Netherlands, that is.
When I was a child most kid's bikes would be hand me downs, and not suitable for nicely packaged presents.
As bikes are cheaper now and people have more money on average, there will be more kids who get a bike for a present. Birthdays, Sinterklaas (5th of December) or in some cases Christmas.

Children here believe in Sinterklaas, see here or here for some pictures and an explanation. When the kids stop believing, at age 8 or so, some families start giving the gifts at Christmas, but I do not know any Dutch families with kids who believe in Santa. Expat families sometimes do, so we have to be 'polite' about santa in public.

Thank you for sharing your unique Dutch holidays practices with me. I feel even more fortunate about receiving my bikes during the holiday season now that I have finally learned how the Dutch children receive their gifts (and what type of gifts they would more likely get than not).

As for Sinterklaas, He seems to be more likely something out of a good horror movie....